Winter Veil together
by Kittykata
Summary: After the Lich King is killed, Jaina reflects on Arthas's death sadly.


Jaina Proudmoore stared out the window despondently. It was Winter Veil, and this was the time of the year she thought about Arthas the most. He was always on her mind, but this was when he was supposed to have proposed to her. They would have been happy together, even when he became king. She supposed that meant she would have been queen, but it didn't really matter now. Everything was broken beyond fixing, because her beloved was dead, and then killed completely. He was no longer even the Lich King. Though he had become evil, Jaina had almost thought about going to him. She had thought better of that idea at the last second, when she had gone to Uther's tomb. She had cried herself to sleep that night, and then within the week, Arthas was completely gone from her, even that perversion that had been left. Nothing would be the same without him in the world. She watched as the snow fell, slowly blanketing the world in a white shroud, and muffling all the sound. The ground disappeared, half from the snow and half from the tears that threatened to fall. This time of year had slowly but steadily gotten worse and worse for her, but she hid it from everyone. She missed him terribly.

Stepping away from the window, she sighed deeply and closed her eyes, lightly touching her own cheek. She missed his soft touches and sweet words, as well as the fun they had had. She wanted to have him back. Maybe if she hadn't abandoned him that one day when he was going to completely destroy that place and kill everyone, maybe then he would have had a better fate. She had gone against her word and abandoned him, following Uther instead of Arthas, because she knew killing the people before they had changed was a terrible wrong. She had listened to the prophet and fled to save some of the people that would have been hers. Everything went wrong from there, and she had listened to the news with growing horror, dreading the outcome. Nothing good would come of him going to Northrend, she knew, and would have died to stop him from going, but it was too late when she heard. She got no more news until one of the men managed to find his way to her. He had just escaped on one of the little boats, and was the only one to survive escaping. Arthas had hired mercenaries to destroy the ships when his father ordered him to come back, and then publicly blamed them to escape punishment. She shook her head and sighed again, because she remembered how scared he had been of the one she had been in love with. He had trembled, telling of Frostmourne, and she had nearly wept.

Shaking herself from her memories, she looked at the only memento she had left of Arthas. He had given her one of his cloaks one day, because it had been freezing and snowing, and she had only been an apprentice, and had forgotten her cloak. He had given his to her with a smile, and she had breathed deeply of his scent as it folded around her. She had grinned at him, and he had kissed her sweetly before pulling her into a close hug. Her body still remembered the feel of his, as she had rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, feeling his warmth and hearing his heart. They had just stood there, breathing, until one of the full paladins had made a snide remark, then they separated and walked on, but Jaina had kept hold of his hand. Half groaning, she slapped her forehead and went over to her dresser. Apparently it was going to be one of those days where she would get lost in the torrents of memories and be unable to keep herself in the present. Sighing, she unlocked the drawer and pulled out the slightly threadbare cloak, holding it close and closing her eyes. She could just catch the slightest whiff of his scent, but that was probably just her imagination. She went over to her bed and sat on it, curling to cloak tight around herself. She closed her eyes, shivering and trying not to cry, and then opened her eyes with a snap when she felt a hand cupping her face.

There was no one standing in front of her, yet the hand stayed where it was. She reached up and gently touched it, feeling the terrible cold. She let out a small gasp, eyes widening, and whispered, "Arthas?" She felt the cold on her mouth, and realized he had kissed her. From memory, she reached up and wrapped her arms around the invisible form in front of her, ignoring the cold that went all the way to her bones. She knew it was him, because he was cold and sad, so she whispered, "I'm glad you chose today to come back. I've missed you so much." He put an invisible hand on her waist, and she shivered. "Cheer up, my love, please? You're so terribly cold." She could practically hear the sigh in front of her, but by then she was clinging to the invisible man in front of her, crying and unable to help it. His hand ran through her hair, and her tears and heat gave him a little warmth and visibility. Jaina didn't notice until he was almost as solid as the day she had left him, and this time her gasp was one of disbelief and joy. They kissed each other, and Arthas gently wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry I do not have more than this night, but I will be able to see you during the day of the dead as well." Jaina shivered and shook her head. "Please, don't leave me. I can't bear to be without you. I've missed you so terribly." Arthas smiled sadly and nodded, holding her close, answering, "It is only because it was your only wish that I would be with you that I am here at all." Jaina looked at him, quivering slightly. "I need you though. Don't leave me. That's a selfish thing to ask after what I did but please don't leave." He shook his head, and Jaina clung even closer.

After several minutes, Jaina took a deep breath and looked up at him. "I want you to stay with me always." Arthas shook his head. "This is the world of the living, and those that are dead already are not meant to stay. It is sad that it took my own true death for me to figure that out again. I'm so sorry that we can't be together, Jaina. You should find someone else; there are pleanty who would want you." She sighed deeply, shaking her head. "That would cause me even more pain, Arthas. I'm in love with you, and you took my heart with you. I don't believe I could love again if I wanted to, so I'll just keep my little secret pain and keep on. I will join you when it's my time, so please, wait for me?" Arthas nodded and kissed her gently, and then smiled. Jaina cried, smiling, and kissed him back, holding him close. "Just hold me a while, will you? It will make sleep impossible, but I would really like to just talk with you, okay?" Arthas smiled again, slightly surprised, but climbed onto her bed and leaned back against the pillows. After a moment of staring at him, Jaina joined him, curling up into his lap, leaning against his chest, and they talked about everything and nothing at all.


End file.
